Two of my uncles and my grandfather are farmers in southeastern Wisconsin: in addition to dairy cattle, they have many acres of corn, alfalfa and beans. This spring, there was much excitement because they bought some new equipment, which should give them a little break from the constant repair needed to keep your tractors up and running.
So, naturally, I thought of them when I saw this farmer planting corn.
Yes, he really does have a stick like a broom handle
to poke a hole, then a bag full of seeds.
There were fields like this just being planted, others where the crop was already knee high and men were hoeing the weeds, and still others where the plants were tall and all tassled-out. I’m not sure if they can get multiple crops in a growing season, or if the growing season is year-round.
The picture doesn’t capture how even the rows are, but I can assure you, these guys can walk a straight line. Descendents of the Maya have been farming these highland plains like this for generations, although every few fields, you could see a man with a tank like a backpack, using a little hose to put fertilizer on the plants. Those are the pioneers, trying to see if there’s a way to save the best of the old ways while finding something useful in the new . . . not unlike what my cousin Dan will need to do if he wants to pass the family farm on to the next generation.
And of course, the Mayans also have kids by the road selling their product . . .
Twenty-four hours later we were higher up in the mountains, at a village outside of San Cristobal de las Casas called Zinancatan. This community is known for textiles and flowers, but many some local families open up their homes for demonstrations of traditional tortilla making. (Don’t let Nichole’s raving about the coffee distract you from the video!)
This woman soaked the corn over night, then ground it and mixed it into dough. Here, she is pressing it in a wooden press, then baking it on the griddle over the fire. She flips it with her fingers, then puts it in the basket . . . until we come along and use it for tacos . . . which are delicious : )
Stay tuned for news about harvesting cacao; these chickens, however, will not be discussed!
--Kris
An interesting link about traditional Mexican cuisine:
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